'Condition not a disability' discharges stir controversy

10:50 AM,
Nov. 29, 2013

Tom Philpott

Written by

Tom Philpott
Military Columnist

Navy Department medical personnel are misusing an administrative separation authority called Condition Not A Disability on many sailors and Marines whose medical conditions should be screened through the disability evaluation system, an advocate for wounded warriors is charging.

"The use of administrative discharges for conditions that require DES [disability evaluation system] processing simply has to stop," retired Army Lt. Col. Michael A. Parker told the Department of Defense's Recovering Warrior Task Force last month at its latest public hearing.